Fish-guard.



W. H. FULLER.

FISH GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18. 1916.

1 334,894. Patented July 31-, 1917.

2 SHEETS,SHEET I. will INVENTOR Wi/Zid/JIHFQ ZZCJ',

WITNESSES 7%- 61 M W. H. FULLER.

FISH GUARD.

, APPLICATION FlLED JAN.I8,1916. 1,234,894. Patented July 31,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR %ZZzm/zH.FuZZe1 WITNESSES BY fi zmmmr' vv I 1 ATTORNEY UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. FULLER, OF PALMETTO, FLORIDA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF TO GUY V.SANDERS, OF ROCK FALLS, ILLINOIS.

FISH-GUARD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. FULLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Palmetto, in the county of Mantee and State of Florida, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-Guards, ofwhich-the following is a specification.

This invention has particular relation to improvements in fish guards ofthat type which are susceptible of use in connection with irrigatingditches and the like; and as its primary object it contemplates theprovision of a novel device of this nature that may be easily andquickly arranged in position in the ditch or other desired location andone that is so constructed whereby it will not impede or retard the flowof water to any extent and which will permit the free passing offloating debris.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type inquestion that is extremely simple in construction, strong and durable,and highly practical from both the standpoint of the manufacturer andthe standpoint of the user; and which, it is believed, may bemanufactured at a comparatively low cost.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent during thecontinuance of the following description.

These objects are accomplished b such means as are shown in theirpreferred form in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification and then more specifically pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate likeparts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a view in side elevationof my invention, illustrating a portion thereof broken away to show theconstruction more clearly.

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan.

Fig. 3 is a view in cross section of one of the agitator members.

Fig. 4 is a view in detail illustrating more 1 clearly the method ofmounting the agitator members on the respective spindles.

Fig. 5 is a view in detail of a novel form of bearing that is used andmeans to impart an oscillatory movement to the several agitating arms.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J l 31 1917. Application filedJanuary 18, 1916. I

Serial N 0. 72,796.

In reducing my invention to practice I first provide a suitablesupporting structure for the operating mechanism, which, in the presentembodiment may consist of spaced standards 10 and 11 that are designedto be positioned on the bed of the ditch or other water course in asuitable manner. A carrying shaft 12 is journaled through the respectivesupporting standards 10 and 11, such as shown in Fig. 2, and has its endportions journaled in members 13 and 14 respectively. Intermediate thesupporting members 10 and 13 and 11 and 14, the shaft 12 is bent to formoppositely projecting crank portions 15 and 16 to which the agitatorarms may be connected in the manner subsequently described while hetweenthe standards 10 and 11, the shaft gether with the shaft in the usualmanner.-

Between the disks 17 are fixed a series of radial blades 18 that areformed in the usual manner and adapted to be engaged by the water and inturn impart the desired movement to the shaft 12. It is contemplated tofix the blades 18 to both the shaft 12 and the disks 17 whereby alldanger of accidental displacement or dislodgment during the operation ofthe device is precluded.

In the use of my invention, the blades are to be arranged in the mannerwhereby they will project a sufficient depth into the water whereby theflow thereof will be sufficient to cause the actuation of the blades andconsequently rotate the shaft 12 at the desired extent. The depth atwhich the blades project into the water may be conveniently regulated bylengthening or shortening the several supporting standards abovereferred to.

Adjacent the several supporting standards above referred to, I mountother standards 19 and 20, the particular construction of which is shownin Fig. 5. standards is provided adjacent its upper end, with a throughslot 21 to receive the respective one of the agitator arms which will bepresently described, and is further,

Each of these provided with a revoluble bearing'22 to pro ject laterallythrough the slot and support the adjacent arms.

Any suitable means may be employed for the purpose of positioning theroller bearings 22 in place, however, in the present embodiment I'haveshown the same as carried by spaced sleeves 23 that are journaled in thestandards, as. shown, in Fig.5, the latter carrying head portions 2st atthe sides of the standards through which the bearings may be oiled bythe cups 25. In this manner it will be noted that the severalbearingsmay be kept in an adequately lubricated condition at all times;thus eliminating wear due to the friction generated between the bearingsand adjacent sleeves.

Agitator arms 26 and 27 respectively are passed through the slots 21 ofthe several supporting standards 19 and'20, such as shown in Fig. 5 soas to rest on the adjacent bearings 22, the inner ends of the armshaving connection with the cranks 15 and 16 respectively as shown inFig. 2, the outer ends of the arms 26 being connected by a carryingspindle 28 while the outer ends of the arms 27, which terminate short ofthe outer ends of the other arms, may be connected by another spindle29.

I further provide a series of agitator members 80, such as shown inFigs. 3 and 4E that may be constructed of a comparatively heavy materialand provided with suitable eye bearings 31 by which they may be loosely,engaged with the spindles 28 and 29. The members 30 may be of anydesired form or configuration; however, in the present embodiment I haveshown the same to be. substantially wedge-shaped or triangular shapedwhenviewed in cross section, such as shown in Fig. 3, this being done toeliminate any retarding of the flow of the water. On the other hand theseveral agi' tator members are preferably painted in varying colors of abrilliant nature although this too is a mere arbitrary feature.

Upon reference to Fig. 1 it will be noted that when the outer ends ofthe arms 26 are in an elevated position, the. outer ends of theotherarmswill be in their lowermost position and conversely when the members onthespindle 28 are submerged the membersonjthe other spindle will beelevated a certain extent out of the water. Consequently it will be seenthat-during the operation of the device, the agitator members willbecontinually submerged and withdrawn from the water, one set thereofbeing always submerged while theother set is 111% a position slightlyabove thewater.

The operation of my invention is substantiallyas follows 2- The deviceis preferably arranged in the manner above stated in the bed of astream, irrigating ditch or the like, the agitator Laser-94 arms facingup stream while the radial blades 18 are arranged to project a desireddistance into the water. 7 The flowing of the water in the direction ofthe flowing of the stream will'cause the rotation of the blades and theconsequent actuation of the shaft 12. Upon rotation of the shaft 12, thecranks 15 and 16 thereof will cause the depression and the elevation ofthe inner. ends of the agitator arms 26 and 27 and also a slightreciprocatory movement thereof. Therefore it will be seen that theagitator members 30 will be submerged and emerged from the water atcertain intervals, thus not only tending to agitate the water at thispoint but presents a formidable defense which even small fish andminnows will not pass. The varying colors of the agitator members alsoserve to scare the fish and as a consequence, the latter do notventurepast the device.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the device may be quickly andeasily arranged in the desired position in the stream or irrigatingditch and kept in operation at all times. It will be noted that thebearings of the shaft 12 as well as the agitator arms are above thewater at all times, thus precluding the liability of rusting, etc. Itwill also be noted that the arms 26 and 27 do not project into the waterthereby per mitting floating debris to pass freely down stream. In viewof the fact that the ad' vantages and novel features of my inventionappear to be understood from the foregoing, it is believed that furtherdetail description is deemed unnecessary.

In reducing my invention to practice I find that the form referred toherein as the most practical and preferred embodiment" is the mosteflicient, but realizing'tha-t certain conditions will necessarily varyin concurrence with the adoption ofmy device, I desire to emphasize thefact that various minor changes in the details of construction and inthe proportion of parts maybe resortedto when requiredwithout'sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention as defined inthe appended claims;

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a fish guard, a structure to beoperated by the velocity of the flowing water,- agitator arms associatedwith said structure,- means to impart a combinedrocking andreciprocatory movement to said arms, and agitator members to beassociated with said arms, and submerged and emerged in and from thewater, as and forthe purpose specified.

2. In a fish guard, a structure to be operated by the flowing water,movable agitator arms associated with said structure, meansto impart arocking movement to saidarms,

spindles connecting the free outer ends of said arms, and agitatormembers depending from said spindles to be submerged in the water atcertain times, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a fish guard, a structure to be operated by the flowing water,agitator arms to be associated with said structure, means to impart acombined rocking and reciprocatory movement to said arms, spindlesconnecting said arms, and depending agitator members carried by saidspindles, the agitator members of one spindle being submergedindependently of the agitator members of the other spindle, as and forthe purpose specified.

4. In a fish guard, a structure to be operated by the fiowing water,agitator arms associated with said structure, means supporting saidagitator arms intermediate their ends, spindles connecting the otherends of certain of said agitator arms, and agitator members looselyconnected with said spindles, as and for the urpose specified.

5. In a fish guar a supporting structure, operating mechanism carriedthereby, agitator arms connected at one end with said operatingmechanism, means supporting said agitator arms intermediate their endswhereby they may be given a rocking movement by said operatingmechanism, spindles connecting the outer ends of certain of said arms,and agitator members loosely connected with said spindles, as and forthe purpose specified.

6. In a fish guard, operating mechanism, means to support said operatingmechanism, agitator arms, means to support said agitator armsintermediate their ends, said agitator arms being connected with saidoperating mechanism at one end whereby they may be given a combinedrocking and reciprocatory movement, spindles connecting the other endsof said agitator arms, and a series of depending agitator membersloosely connected with said spindles, the agitator members of one ofsaid spindles to be moved oppositely to the members of the otherspindle, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a fish guard, operatin mechanism to be arranged in the path 0 theflowing water, agitating structures to be associated with said operatingmechanism, means to support said agitating structures substantiallyintermediate their ends whereby a rocln'ng movement may be impartedthereto to raise and lower the free ends thereof, and a series ofagitator members loosely connected withsaid agitating structures, as andfor the purpose specified.

8. A device of the character described comprising a rotatably mountedcrank shaft, supporting arms, means to pivotally and slidably mount thesupporting arms, cross bars connecting the free end portions of thesupporting arms, the opposite end portions of the supporting arms beingloosely mounted u on the crank extensions of the crank sha agitatorsloosely suspended from the cross bars, and means for rotating the crankshaft.

9. A device of the character described comprising slidably and pivotallymounted supporting arms, spindles connecting the end portions of thesupporting arms, agitators loosely mounted upon the spindles andsuspended beneath the spindles, and operating means for impartinglongitudinal sliding movement and vertical swinging movement to thesupporting arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. FULLER. Witnesses:

F. N. HIBBLE, W. J. DAWSON.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

